Alamo Lake Road

Alamo Lake Road branches off US-93 near Nothing, Arizona (yes, that’s a real place), and immediately drops you into 38 miles of pure Sonoran Desert isolation. The route follows an old mining road through forests of 200-year-old saguaros and cholla gardens that stretch to distant mountain ranges, crossing several sandy washes that can trap unwary drivers. About halfway in, you’ll pass the abandoned Swansea townsite ruins, where copper mining operations ran from 1909 to 1924. The road terminates at Alamo Lake State Park, a 3,500-acre reservoir created by the Alamo Dam that’s famous for producing record largemouth bass.

This is an easy to moderate trail depending on recent weather—summer monsoons can wash out sections and create deep sand traps in the arroyos. Any stock SUV with decent ground clearance can make it, but 4WD helps in sandy spots. Bring extra water and fuel; services are nonexistent for the entire route. Best traveled October through April when desert temperatures are tolerable. The payoff is legitimate wilderness solitude and some of Arizona’s best bass fishing if that’s your thing. Dispersed camping allowed along most of the route.